20060101: Happy 2006! 115 minutes, 6.25 miles, 3.27 mph, HR=116 and “Calendar Girls” on the treadmill this morning. No, I wasn’t awake at midnight. Last night’s show (“West Side Story” at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater) was great. Our tablemates overheard my plea for extra water from the other family table and made darn sure I was never without several glasses of water. When our Waitress introduced herself I asked for a carafe of water, explaining it would save her much bother in keeping my water glass full. She wouldn’t do it, something about actors’ unions and ice clinking. I didn’t need the ice, but still she refused. I don’t understand why a carafe of water was not allowed when a bottle of wine and a pot of coffee were. Just weird. It’s not just the dinner theater, I often ask for a carafe of water and am often refused for one reason or another. I had thought about bringing my own water bottle, but figured that was tacky. I should go to work but I really don’t feel like it. Jeff, Suzette and Amber joined us for dinner and DVD’s.

20060102: I got so much done at my office today that it’s OK I didn’t work yesterday. Mom and Dad’s for dinner. No internet connection = no groceries tomorrow. Damn! I’m regretting not ever taking the time to install one of my connection cards on this Dell Precision M70.

01/03 Good thing I got a lot done yesterday as today if off to a bad start. The shipping computer isn’t printing shipping labels like it used to. But, no one changed anything.

01/04 Picnic basket to Ellie and Jim.

01/05 Yesterday someone visited my site via the Google search; “I need a benefactor”. From this morning’s “Hungry Girl”: “The Ultimate Mood Lifter – A little chocolate can fix anything, right? It’s sweet, delicious, creamy, and seems to make us feel a lot better once we’ve eaten it. Well, it turns out chocolate’s mood-boosting ability is not all in our heads–eating the sweet stuff really does make us feel happy, content and soothed. Why? Well, the fat and sugar, as well as an endorphin-releasing substance called phenyl ethylamine, that is found in chocolate, raises both serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain. The result? Your mouth will be happy–and so will the rest of you. Stabilize Mood Swings – Do you go from laughing to crying in a matter of seconds? Curbing mood swings may be as easy as drinking water. That’s because dehydration can play a big part in our emotional stability. Don’t get those recommended 8-10 cups of water a day, and you might just find yourself sweating the small stuff…” So there you go, the secret to my even temper; CocoaVia and Water. Garmin has announced, and I’ve preordered, their new devices: Forerunner 305, eTrexVistaCx and GPSmap60CSx with SD card slots! I just realized I’m going to be in Florida on Avery’s first birthday. That sucks! I know to have the window installers be done early is too much to hope for and I figure I’ll be lucky if they’re done on time.

01/06 Avery spent most of last night in the E.R. They didn’t find anything but a new tooth. So today we hung out at home. Played toys, read books, napped a little.

01/07 62 minutes, 4.0 miles, 3.88 mph, HR=158 on the treadmill this morning. I took all three dogs to the Vet this morning. You should have been there, I’m sure you’d be laughing still. Good grief, another iPOD just died. Apple won’t be getting any more of my technology dollars. I’ll start burning my iTunes to CD in order to transfer them into Windows Media Player and start using more generic MP3 devices. I’ve fixed the broken link to the December photo journal, a big thanks to whoever brought that to my attention!

01/08 123 minutes, 6.33 miles, 3.08 mph, HR=112 and “House of Sand and Fog” on the treadmill this morning. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more depressing movie. I’ve spent the afternoon at my office clearing my desk for a fresh start Monday. The Accountant will be here bright and early on Thursday and I must have everything ready for him. I also must install and test a cellular connection card on my Dell Precision M70 notebook, just in case they didn’t really fix the cable. I’ve installed a Cingular branded Sony Ericsson GC83 Edge PC Card. OE6 errors out when sending/receiving mail. I suspect it’s got something to do with the Cingular Communications Manager software I installed with the PC Card earlier today, because I don’t think it’s worked since then. Interesting that it won’t work with that connected either. I’ve sent a message to my hosting company’s Tech Support, I’m hoping they can help me out. I’ve checked everything I can think of and compared settings to my Sony U70 and still no go.

01/09 Rent-A-Geek stopped by this morning to make sure all our hardware was here. While she was here I got the pesky Outlook/Exchange sync error, so I showed it to her. She fixed it. Maybe. I am confused between “My Documents” on the server and “My Documents” on my Dell Precision M70. I’ve created a folder off my root directory to keep my personal stuff that I don’t want/need on the server. Once our new hardware is installed, the space issues shouldn’t be a problem and I can keep everything there. I got a reply from my hosting company’s technical support that warns of a recent Norton Antivirus update that has caused some issues with OE6. I’ve disabled Norton Antivirus for Web Mail and that cured my problem. I don’t see this as a safe permanent fix, so I’ve made a note to go back and enable it again in a couple of weeks.

01/10 I had hoped to avoid, or at least put off until next week, the “Plague” that’s going around. No such luck. Advil Cold and Sinus is some wonderful stuff. I called the Contractor this morning to confirm my window installation for Monday. Receptionist was discouragingly clueless, but promised to have someone in the know call me. Not too much later I received a call from the Project Manager. Monday is not going to happen. I’m not surprised. Perhaps Tuesday.

01/11 One day of medicine head was all I could take. I feel worse than I did yesterday. Today it’s soup and hot tea with honey. My Treo 700w arrived this afternoon. I tried syncing it to my Sony Vaio U70 as that Windows XP device has never been made a member of my domain. Didn’t work. Now I’m really confused. I’ve got three WM5 devices and none of them sync to anything. I have an older version of Microsoft’s Exchange Server, but surely I’m not the only one. A new server will be installed shortly and that should solve everything. I can’t wait to find out. I don’t really have the time to research this and even if I did there really isn’t any point since I’ll have a whole new system in a couple of weeks. Picnic basket to Ellie and Jim. I can transfer printing from my office Desktop to my Laptop using “GoToMyPC”. I first tried to make it work with Windows XP Remote Desktop but failed. Perhaps another day. I’ll test it on Payroll Saturday. Staples will deliver free, so perhaps I’ll leave this one here and get another one for Florida.

01/12 The Accountant has been and gone. That’s it. 2005 is over and done. Most of my new hardware was unboxed today.

01/13 My Window Project Manager called me Friday with the good news they are going to start my job Monday after all. Later in the day I received a voicemail informing me some of my windows aren’t in and we’re back to Tuesday, with completion sometime in March. Great. Just great. Avery has a cold, but that’s OK, so do I. Misery loves company, right?

01/14 Avery and I did better last night that I thought we would. She only woke up once where I had to rock her back to sleep. Since I sleep in the room with Avery when she’s here, I wasn’t sure what to do with the dogs. I ended up just putting them in our room and I don’t think they missed me until 4:40 this morning when Hanna started to whine at the door. I’ve had a sinus headache since Monday and I figure tomorrow’s flight is going to be painful. I’ll take a double dose of Advil Cold/Sinus medicine and hope for the best. I did payroll from home this afternoon!

01/15 Flying didn’t hurt a bit. Go figure. I did take two Advil Cold & Sinus about an hour into the flight. It’s the same temperature in the house here (68) as it is back home in Minnesota. That’s just not right.

01/16 This morning I reinstalled WeatherBug. I really miss having the temperature showing on my taskbar. It’s 43 here this morning and I’m heading out for my walk in shorts?!?!? It’s barely dawn, I need to get out and back in time to check in with my Window Project Manager. If I don’t go now, I’ll never get around to it later, I’m funny that way. I’m counting on the temperature rising with the sun. And it did! I took off my hoody when I got to the beach. 118 minutes, 6.51 miles, 3.7 mph, HR=150. My printer arrived and I picked up my FedEx box so all my chores are done. There’s a short shopping list that can wait until sundown. Time for sunscreen and a medicinal lounge in the sunshine poolside. If I don’t end this week with some windows installed, I sure as hell better at least have some tan lines to show for the trip! During the night last night I thought I heard someone moving around the house, or I dreamed I did, I’m not sure which. I realize that was my subconscious having fits about our key having been (actually still is) out of my control. Today I switched the plastic flashlight on my nightstand for the sturdy aluminum one I had on my desk. My Window Project Manager has not returned my phone call or replied to my voicemail verifying tomorrow’s start. What’s that tell you? I’m knitting a sweater for Avery. It’s a rather complicated sweater with several techniques I’ve not done before. I thought it might help occupy my mind and give me a sense of accomplishment and control over a project and help me not to stress over a project I can’t control. It’s working. I’ve got almost 6 inches finished. I really should start up the webcam, but that will only add to my disappointment and frustration if there is no work to watch tomorrow. I will do that tomorrow morning instead of pacing the floors waiting for the doorbell to ring.

01/17 The camera is working. Since that window is the one that won’t be here until March, you won’t see much until they start working on the one above it or I decide to move the camera. They’re here! My kitchen office window is first on the list. I’ve moved the camera in there so you can watch. Turns out the waterside windows aren’t the only ones that didn’t come in, but some more are due to arrive on Wednesday and it will take at least that long to install what they’ve got, probably longer. I heard; “God Damn, it ain’t going to fit!” and went to the kitchen, wrote my cell number on a piece of paper, showed the Guy where I stuck it on the refrigerator, told him to call me if there was anything I could do and went for a walk. When I got back, I had a new window in my “office”. One down. 110 minutes, 6.61 miles 3.6 mph, HR=159. 23 mph winds made the going hard and my heart rate shows it. There’s a Naples Knitting Group that meets tonight at the Calistoga Bakery Cafe. It looks like a really nice place and I’m looking forward to going. Only one other person showed up for knitting, but I had a great dinner, we had a nice visit, it was all good.

01/18 The Window Crew showed up bright and early this morning. Yay! I hit the snooze button three times this morning. I need to set the alarm for later or put away the knitting and go to bed earlier or both. It’s raining. Too hard for me to go for my walk. The Window Crew is working under a roof, so I’m pretty sure they’ll at least finish the big guest room window. My Google stock hit my bottom limit and sold yesterday. Now I’ve got to decide if I want back in. They finished the guest room and master bedroom today. I went for a walk as soon as they left. 122 minutes, 7.20 miles, 3.5 mph, HR=105. I am befuddled at the HUGE drop in heart rate. I’ve never seen so many surfers as there were this afternoon, probably because it was afternoon and not morning. They weren’t having much luck with it. I’ve got a little pizza in the oven and a bottle of red wine open as my reward for getting myself out this afternoon.

01/19 When I went to bed last night I noticed the trim wasn’t finished on the master bedroom window. Turns out that window is just setting there, not really installed. They are waiting on an inspector to approve the installation before they can finish. What seemed like it would be the easiest two windows, have become the most complicated. All the living/dining room furniture has been pushed to one side and they’ve put up a temporary wall. They expect those side windows to remain open for a period of time as they need to be approved by the inspector as well. I guess it’s good. I’m grateful they are keeping themselves busy and productive rather than sitting on their thumbs waiting for the inspector. They didn’t get as much done today as I had hoped. I guess there’s an Inspector to blame. 141 minutes, 8.02 miles, 3.4 mph, HR=127.

01/21 149 minutes, 7.89 miles, 3.2 mph, HR=110. Home!

01/22 I really should put this sweater away. I’ve got a lot of work to do around the house and I’ll have plenty of time to finish it next week.

01/23 The mail. Ugh.

01/24 On the way home from work today I got a much deserved and long overdue speeding ticket.

01/25 I’ve been informed; “your web site is currently being transitioned to a server containing newer hardware and software”.

01/26 I just prepared another box for FedEx to pickup tomorrow morning. Yarn for another sweater. I think I’m going to need it.

01/27 We haven’t seen a sunny Friday since I can’t remember when, so I sure wasn’t going to waste today’s sunshine. The Luce Line is still awful muddy and I’m not going to make myself the extra work of having to bathe a dog. I parked my car at the little mall in Mound and Avery and I walked the mile and a half or so to Jim and Ellie’s place. They weren’t home so we walked back to the little mall and had a treat at Caribou Coffee. Avery is crawling and giving much thought to pulling herself up on things. Coco made a huge mess and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

01/28 It is so nice to be able to do so much of my work from home! I still need to go to my office, but I won’t have to be there very long. Earlier this week my laptop’s display developed a line about 1.5 inches from the top. It has come in handy, but mostly it’s annoying. On one of my rare actually shopping trips this past holiday season, I saw a kid’s ski helmet. It’s like a bike helmet, but insulated for cold and I never knew such a thing exists. I figured that would be great for Avery and allow us an earlier start of biking season this coming spring, it also helped that it’s pink and the bike helmet she won’t wear is yellow. I ordered one from REI and hung it on the door knob next to my biking gloves, awaiting a trip downstairs. I put the helmet on her head today and she left it there, in fact every time we walked past, we put it on for a bit. I guess we’ve solved the bike helmet issue, though I did have to order the next size smaller as this one is huge on her.

01/29 Seems like I just left here. Glass of wine and going to bed early.

01/30 I went to bed at 7:30 last night, no doubt asleep before 8 and was still asleep when the alarm went off at 6 this morning. I guess I was tired. 144 minutes, 7.82 miles, 3.3 mph, HR=108. They found the missing window, but it’s the wrong size. Some progress was made today. The clear window was replaced with the tinted one in the master bedroom. There are screws in the sides of the living room windows, though they are somewhat crooked. My “Girls” have had me twisted around their paw for their entire lifetime and in the end, I will twist them around my finger like this. Seriously.

01/31 The Crew Boss stopped by this morning and asked if I was going to be around all day today, to which I replied, “Yes!”. I won’t be leaving the house today. I finished Avery’s sweater! I’m very pleased with how it turned out. It’s a little big, but she’ll grow! There’s a Guy walking around patching holes, that’s a good sign. Maybe. The Boss Man and his painter have been and gone. I’ll be right behind the rest of these guys and going for my walk. This housebound-all-day business sucks. 173 minutes, 8.82 miles, 3.1 mph, HR=104. Garmin’s Trainer software tells me I burned 1190 calories and LifeForm tells me I burned 623. I always use LifeForm’s calculations, but I wish I really knew. I went to bed at 8:00 again last night but didn’t fall asleep so easily and was awake and waiting for the alarm to go off this morning. I guess I’ve caught up on my sleep, so I’ll start the second sleeve of Avery’s next sweater this evening and go to bed a bit later. My hosting company (http://www.solidspace.com) has installed spam software. Perhaps now I’ll stop missing Norton’s AntiSpam.